Local musicians often find themselves pursuing their passion for applause from the crowd, some gas money (if they’re fortunate) and maybe a write-up or two somewhere along the way.
The North Texas music initiative Jambaloo is changing that with the announcement of its Jambaloo Music Prize.
The prize, which includes a $20,000 cash award, a trophy and a recording opportunity with four-time Grammy winner Tre Nagella at Luminous Sounds, will honor the best full-length album released by a DFW-based artist in 2025.
Additional elements of the prize include prime placement in Josey Records’ DFW stores for a month, airplay on KXT 91.7’s Homegrown Music Show, promotional packages from Prekindle and Do214 and additional support from the Texas Music Office, the Dallas Music Office and Hear Fort Worth.
The inaugural Jambaloo Music Prize will be awarded live on June 6, 2026, with a free concert at the Longhorn Ballroom featuring the three Music Prize finalists and a national headliner, which will be revealed during the 2026 installment of Jambaloo in February.
“With the Jambaloo Music Prize, we’re not just giving $20,000 — we’re investing in a DFW artist’s future by pairing local talent with Grammy-level production, and highly-respected industry support from an amazing group of partners,” said Shane Mullen, managing attorney at Mullen & Mullen and co-founder of Jambaloo, in a statement.
The Music Prize competition is free to enter, and albums must contain at least seven tracks and be 30 minutes or more in length. The album must be released between Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2025, and at least half of the band (or, if it’s a solo submission, the artist in question) must call somewhere within the 11 counties of the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area home.
Submissions are now open, and 10 semi-finalists will be chosen by an anonymous, 15-judge panel. The semi-finalists will be announced on Feb. 10, during Jambaloo 2026. The public will then vote to help narrow down the semi-finalists to the winner.
“Dallas-Fort Worth is proving that communities don’t have to wait for big labels or giant corporations,” said Corey Pond, Jambaloo co-founder, in a statement. “We can create platforms to lift artists, create cultural opportunities and remove financial barriers — as a local community.”
Enter the contest and learn more about the Jambaloo Music Prize.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at preston@kxt.org or find him on Bluesky (@prestonjones.bsky.social).Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.